Question 96·Hard·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is adapted from an essay published in 1893 by a naturalist.
I had been told that the goat-herds of Val Sera were given to omens; a certain turning of swallows and a ring the sun there sets about itself were said by them to betoken change. I wrote this down, dutifully, to expose later—as any respectable man of instruments must—their fondness for marvels. The herdsman who walked with me, a spare fellow with an old blue kerchief, kept his remarks to himself, and I was not tempted to consult him further.
Toward afternoon the wind left the gorge and a hush, felt more than heard, settled in the grasses. "They will eat low," he said then, and pointed to the slope where the goats had huddled, heads turned into the scant breeze that remained. Clouds gathered, not jaggedly but as if by agreement. It rained at dusk, without thunder. The barometer I carried had foretold nothing. I recopied that page of my notes that night; the ring and the swallows I kept, but I wrote them down as his instruments, not his superstitions.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
For main-purpose questions, first quickly summarize the passage in your own words in one simple sentence, focusing on what changes from beginning to end. Then check each answer against that summary: eliminate choices that (1) focus on a minor detail, (2) introduce ideas not in the passage (like different settings or big general claims), or (3) get the tone or direction of change wrong. Pay special attention to shifts in attitude or perspective—these often reveal the true purpose.
Hints
Focus on the narrator’s attitude
Reread the first few sentences and ask yourself: How does the narrator feel about the goat-herds’ weather signs at the beginning—respectful, neutral, or mocking?
Look for any shift or contrast
Compare the narrator’s attitude in the first half of the passage with his attitude in the last few sentences. Does anything about his opinion or description change?
Think about what the story is mainly showing
Instead of focusing on specific details like the barometer or the goats, ask: What happens to the narrator’s opinion over the course of the passage, and what does that suggest the author’s main purpose is?
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify what the question is asking
The question asks for the main purpose of the entire text. That means you need a brief sentence that sums up what the author is doing overall in the passage, not just one detail or example.
Summarize the beginning of the passage
In the first part, the narrator explains that he has heard the goat-herds believe in omens like “a certain turning of swallows” and “a ring the sun…sets about itself.” He writes these down “to expose later…their fondness for marvels,” and calls himself a “respectable man of instruments.” This shows he starts off looking down on the herdsmen’s beliefs and trusting his scientific tools instead.
Notice what changes by the end
In the second half, the herdsman quietly predicts weather by saying, “They will eat low,” and pointing to the goats. The clouds gather and it “rained at dusk…The barometer I carried had foretold nothing.” After this, the narrator recopies his notes, keeping the ring and swallows but now calling them the herdsman’s “instruments, not his superstitions.” This shows a clear change in the narrator’s view: he corrects his earlier, dismissive judgment.
Match this overall development to the answer choices
The whole passage describes the narrator moving from a premature, negative judgment of the goat-herds’ omens to a more respectful, informed view after new evidence (the accurate weather sign) contradicts his expectations. The choice that best captures this description of his changing viewpoint is A) To trace how an observer replaces a premature judgment with a more informed one.